Lambert - We Got The Job Done

Paul Lambert has dismissed suggestions that we relied on Arsenal to secure our safety, insisting that 'we got the job done.'

Doesn't really put me in my place I'm afraid, we are safe because of the Arsenal result. Get the result against Wigan and we'd be safe irrespective of them, and then the outlook can change on whether we needed a favour from the Londeners.

Anyway, he's praising the lads, so let's get on with that.

Speaking to the Official Site Lambert, and I'll add rightly, focused instead on the 'tremendous form' that the team had played themselves into over the last few results that put our issues of safety squarely back into our own hands, starting from the double over Reading and QPR:

'I think people are getting totally mislead. It's rough on the Aston Villa lads. We have done what we have done, we weren't relying on Wigan getting beaten, we put ourselves in a position where the 40 point mark was reached. People turn round and say 'Arsenal have done us a favour'. That's discrediting our lads for what they have done over the half-year.'

Lambert says that the players should take great credit for how they turned the season around, calling the form of late 'absolutely unbelievable' and adding that in the run in the only teams to beat us were the top four and Liverpool.

He also believes we were unlucky with the decisions against Chelsea which yes, the point in that game would've nullified the Arsenal impact.

'We might have got a result against Chelsea without the decisions. Against Arsenal I thought we were extremely unlucky. I don't care who you were that night against Man Utd, they were on absolute fire. We got caught by a mistake here against Man City. Liverpool won it with a penalty - our form against everyone else has been unbelievably high.'

See this is the problem with the season we've just had, especially when you tag it onto the last few years we've had and whilst I fully appreciate the history books will record one fact, our final league position outside of the relegation places, but we don't need or want a bunch of 'what ifs' as that's as churlish as listing the games we did win that we could've lost.

The players deserve great credit for turning around all of our fortunes, but that doesn't mean we can sugar coat everything either. That said, Lambert isn't wrong in adding:

'We have a young team who are getting better and better and better. We have played Sunderland, QPR, Norwich, Stoke and Reading - five must wins - and they have delivered. That's the biggest thing I would say about them.'

And nobody can take that away from them either.

Continue to grow, continue to build over the summer and let's make the dark points of this season count and mean something, as we move forward with the foundations of the team in place with a very applaudable attacking style and mental attitude.

Your Comments (oldest first)

It wasn't the Arsenal result that saved us. We are safe because, over the course of 37 games we accumulated 40 points, whereas Wigan could only manage 35. The season is more than two games long. Whether we win on Sunday or not is completely beside the point.

The table never lies. Yes, we got the job done..... JUST! So I suppose if what we aim to do next season is get as close as we can to relegation, but survive by the skin of our teeth, then get ready for more of the same next season.

Bit of an unnecessary and negative article really. We are safe because we got enough points to be safe. Considering how far back we were a couple of months ago its a phenomenal achievement. Personally I very excited about next season. I'm proud that the moaners were ignored and lambert was given the chance to continue what he started. Not many managers weather a storm like that and still hold the dressing room. With a bit if luck and if we can keep hold of a few key players, we are at the start of something exciting. All we need is a few more good signings ( maybe a left back! ) and we will be comfortably top half next season!

"So I suppose if what we aim to do next season is get as close as we can to relegation, but survive by the skin of our teeth" yes because that is the aim of most teams isn't it, what a load of shoe makers. We will start where we left off, going for it and getting results, a team only needs to gel once, as they gelled they got better and because we won't be replacing over half the squad again this summer, we won't be suffering that problem in the foreseeable future.

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